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Latest News

For press or media enquiries please contact the communications team by email.

  • Reminder - new food labelling requirements from 1 October

    Orkney Islands Council’s Environmental Health team are reminding local food businesses that new legislation which requires food businesses in Scotland to include detailed ingredient and allergen information on labels for prepacked for direct sale (PPDS) foods will become law on 1 October 2021.

    9 September 2021

  • Joint NHS Orkney/OIC statement - West Mainland Cluster Covid Update

    As of Thursday lunchtime (9 September) there were 13 positive PCR test results and a further 6 positive lateral flow results that are awaiting PCR tests from the West Mainland cluster.

    NHS Orkney Consultant in Public Health, Sara Lewis, said the Public Health team was working with education colleagues to contain the spread of the virus in our community.

    9 September 2021

  • “Inspiring” Orkney teacher named the first ever Saroj Lal Award winner

    An “inspiring” Orkney teacher who works tirelessly to make society a better place for everyone has been named as the first ever recipient of the Saroj Lal Award in recognition of his outstanding work in challenging discrimination and promoting equality.

    8 September 2021

  • West Mainland COVID-19 situation

    NHS Orkney Public Health and Orkney Islands Council are working closely to contain a COVID cluster in the West Mainland that involves several school children.

    8 September 2021

  • Orkney's emergency services plead care around cliffs

    Orkney's emergency services are pleading with locals and visitors to take care when enjoying our coastline following a recent cliff collapse at Birsay.

    8 September 2021

  • Review of Orkney Inter Island Ferry Fare Structure

    Folk in Orkney are being asked to feedback into a survey on the revised Orkney Ferries fare structure which has been in place now for nearly three months.

    8 September 2021

  • Net Zero Only Achievable with Support for Infrastructure and Policy Changes

    Net Zero aspirations set out in yesterday’s Programme for Government speech by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, can only  be achieved if the Scottish Government truly supports the infrastructure and policy changes required – according to Orkney Islands Council Leader James Stockan.

    8 September 2021

  • A wave of cruise speculation

    The return of cruise to our shores in Orkney seems to have created a wave of speculation among some small pockets of our community and even further afield.

    While there are many in the county who welcome the industry’s resumption and the benefits that it brings, we acknowledge that there are others who do not wish to see liners calling into Orkney at all, or, at least, not in the numbers which are anticipated in 2022.

    8 September 2021

  • Integrated waste facility proposals update

    The focus of investment in future waste treatment should be on recovering as many recyclable materials as possible, Councillors heard today.

    7 September 2021

  • North Ronaldsay Dark Sky recognition

    North Ronaldsay joins a very select number of locations around the world in being recognised as an International Dark Sky Community by the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA).

    7 September 2021